question @ DIET

[cazpi]

Quiche is good, you can put kidney unfriendly stuff in one half for other people. I do a very good half mushroom one.

[reddivine]

Well i tried @tibbs caulifower pasta sauce on my (healthy) son. We declare it well good, poss a bit more cheese needed.
Like the sound of the white wine one...good excuse for opening a bottle wine...(who said that?) :D

[JMan]

Cheese?? Quiche???

Drools!

[wagolynn]

Here's another for the chefs. And chefettes on here. Ignore Jman, he's a picky bugger.
How DO you do a pasta sauce, when all the shop bought ones are tomato, mushroom or cheese based?? Ideas on a postcard please....

Tinned tomatoes are ok; just throw the liquid away this works because the potassium and phosphates are water-soluble.

[Tibbs]

Tinned Mushrooms are ok as well, again if you throw away the liquid.

[Megan2013]

Thanks so much for the link to foods high in phosphate with alternatives - I've been looking for just that sort of list for ages.

I was referred to a dietician four months ago because I also have reflux problems and have got myself totally confused about what I can/can't eat. Anyway, a very nice and totally useless dietician came to see me this week and gave me the most ridiculous advice. It was that I shouldn't worry about what I could/can't eat unless I've been told specifically by a renal consultant!

She was aware I'm a hepatobiliary patient and not a renal one, that I prefer a low carb diet (which by its very nature is higher in protein and much higher in fats than a normal one) yet here she was virtua,lly telling me to go back to it despite my GFR being 17 when I was referred to her. She didn't seem to b elieve in prevention beingt better than a cure! Sorry for the little rant but it's so frustrating to wait so long for nothing.

[wagolynn]

Sorry I missed your response.

There appears to be a big difference in advice around the country (UK) between renal units. Some do not consider taking any action until kidney function is down to 12% providing a reasonable amount of urine is still being passed.

Dieticians, in my view, cause a lot of confusion by talking of a renal/kidney diet, when in reality what is required is a good wholesome diet (lowish fat, 'normal' protein, and five a day).
As kidney failure progresses there will be a need to reduce phosphate and potassium intake, (soaking vegetables overnight, and/or boiling them and discarding the water).
Eventually, as things get worse, foods high in potassium or phosphates need to be avoided or only eaten as an occasional treat, e.g. chocolate, potato crisps, grains with husk, bran, and more frequent use of substitutes for potatoes (rice, cuscus, barley etc.)
Adjustments should be made in response to blood results, ‘adjustments’ being the keyword.

[Megan2013]

Thanks for your response. I do understand what you're saying, but on the other hand I really can't see the point in eating, say, a banana a day, or a higher protein diet when you know it's putting a strain on the kidneys - something that low-carb dieters have been warned about for years. That's why I would like to be more sensible so that I remain healthier longer - after all, eighteen years of immunosuppressants are quite enough for the kidneys to deal with, IMHO.

[kath]

hey I'm kath had a transplant for over 5 years was wondering if anyone knows if kidney transplant patients can go on a vegan diet?

[Tibbs]

As far as I'm aware, yes you can, but check with the hospital renal nutritionist.

[Grey]

Wow....vegan...through my eyes an odd thing to do. having said that I only eat fish, chicken and pork. I have worked in many an abattoir over my life and as a result have slowly stopped eating sheep and moo's . Chickens are stupid animals, as far as can see fish do not suffer at all and well I turn a blind eye to the slaughtering of pigs. Chicken and fish is a good start I thought, eggs milk etc I have no problem with. Anyway everyone too their own ideas I say. (PS the vegan people I know are not the healthiest specimens I have seen, my niece is one) I agree with Tibbs , consult the renal after transplant dietician, they seem to know everything.

[wagolynn]

hey I'm kath had a transplant for over 5 years was wondering if anyone knows if kidney transplant patients can go on a vegan diet?

Yes, but why make life difficult? Check with your dietician first anyway..

[AmandaClare]

I've been vegan for short periods of time. I don't see why it would cause a problem, if you make sure you get all the nutrients.

Generally people are tolerant of vegetarianism and intensely hostile to veganism. I don't understand it really as I consider my vegetarianism hypocritical - ie production of the eggs and milk I consume causes suffering to animals and leads directly to slaughtering of male chicks and calves.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Grey]

Having lived in Africa and seen with my own eyes nature at work, seeing a pack of lions catch and rip apart a living buck, seeing a crocodile grab the leg of a buck and drag in under water and eat it alive, in my mind there is nothing wrong with eating meat. Which of you own cats who JUST FOR PLEASURE will catch a bird and tortured it to death often leaving babies to then starve to death in the nest, and we talk about animal suffering. Just for the record many millions of songbirds are slaughtered each year by domestic cats. So as long as the slaughtering is done humanly I guess it is as nature intended. I will however add that the commercial system of abattoirs does not lead to a happy ending but farm slaughtered animals are mostly done in as gentle a way as possible. having said that I still do not eat sheep and moo's as already stated because I do not agree with the commercial system. If someone wants to eat eggs etc that are properly prepared generally organic farm shop products escape the commercial system and are brought to market by farmers themselves. Just my penny's worth for what its worth.

[Tibbs]

I've been vegan for short periods of time. I don't see why it would cause a problem, if you make sure you get all the nutrients.

Generally people are tolerant of vegetarianism and intensely hostile to veganism. I don't understand it really as I consider my vegetarianism hypocritical - ie production of the eggs and milk I consume causes suffering to animals and leads directly to slaughtering of male chicks and calves.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

I think the challenge is that people have run into way many more of 'those' vegans than they have of 'those' vegetarians. I think it's also because dairy is such an intrinsic part of our diet in the western world that it's way more of a hassle to cater to vegans.

I don't eat dairy most of the week, and it can be a huge pain in the arse to find stuff I can eat when I'm out and about. It's in almost everything!